Material working machines



Feb. 5, 1963 v. T. CALFEE MATERIAL WORKING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1957 INVENTOR Virgil T. Calfee ATTORNEY Feb. 5, 1963 v. T. CALFEE 3,075,391

MATERIAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Virgil TColfee f; 74 ATTORNEY having ilnite grates 3,076,391 Patented Feb. 5, 1963 fine Filed Feb. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 644L456 6 Claims. (Cl. 9448) This invention relates to material working machines and more particularly to a material tamping machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tamping machine.

Another object is to provide a tamping machine for road beds or the like, which is capable of applying vibrations to the material being compacted or tamped.

Still another object is to provide a tamping machine a material contacting shoe and an eccentrically mounted rotatable mass for imparting vibratory motion to the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tamping machine, of the type described wherein the mass is connected to the shoe in such manner as to be free for limited reciprocal movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of vibrating movement of the shoe.

A still further object is to provide a tamping machine of the type described wherein the shoe and the mass may be connected to a towing vehicle which drags the shoe in a desired direction and simultaneously rotates the mass.

Another object is to provide a tamping machine of the type described wherein the shoe is provided with a plurality of steps ascending in the direction of travel of the shoe whereby the material traversed by the shoe is compacted in fractional steps.

Still another object is to provide a tamping machine of the type described wherein means are provided for lifting the shoe vertically.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tamping machine embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side view of the tamping machine illustrated in FIGURE 1 showing the manner in which it compacts material in successive fractional steps;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view snowing how the transmission for rotating the mass or rollers is mounted on the shoe of the tamping machine;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of a modified form of the tamping machine shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the transmission means for rotating the masses of either form of the tamping machine.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 6 of the drawings, the tamping machine 10 includes an elongate shoe frame 11 having an upwardly and forwardly inclined bottom section 12 provided at its lower material contacting surface or face with a plurality of forwardly ascending steps 13. The shoe frame 11 also includes a pair of vertical end sections 14 and 15 provided with tongue extensions 16 and 17, respectively, which are pivotally connected, as at 18 and 19, respectively, to the end members 20 and 21, respectively, of a tow bar 22. The tow bar 2-2 is provided with a bracket 23 by means of which it may be connected to a tractor or other towing vehicle.

The tongue extensions 16 and 17 of the shoe frame and the end members 20 and 21 of the tow bar 22 are provided with upstanding parallel lugs 30 and 31, respectively, to which are pivotally connected as at 32 and 33, re-

spectively, the piston shafts 34 and the cylinders 35 respectively, of hydraulic or pneumatic rams 36. The rams 36 each have two fluid connections 37 and 38 for introducing or releasing fluid into or from the cylinder 35 on opposite sides of a piston, not shown, slidably mounted therein and secured to the piston shaft 34. It will heapparent that when fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinders 35 of the ram 36 through the fluid connections 37 and the fluid connections 35; permit escape of fluid from the cylinders, the piston will be moved forwardly in the cylinders and the shoe frame 11 will be pivoted upwardly about the pivotal connections 18 and 19. Conversely, if fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinders 35 through the fluid connections 38 and the fluid connections 37 permit escape of fluid from the cylinders, the pistons will be moved rearwardly in the cylinders and the shoe frame 11 will be pivoted downwardly about the pivotal connections 18 and 19. The fluid connections 37 and 38 are connected to a suitable fluid pump means, not shown, located on the towing vehicle to which the tamping machine is connected when in use.

The shoe frame'll also includes a pair of spaced intermediate vertical sections 40 and 41, which extend upwardly from the bottom section 12. The end sections '14 and 15 and the intermediate sections 40 and 41 are connected by a curved section 42 which joins the forward edge of the bottom section and the lower edge of transverse section 43. The various sections of the shoe frame 11 may be rigidly secured to one another by. any suitable means, as by welding, in order that the shoe frame have great rigidity and strength.

Rotatable cylinders or masses 50 and 51 are mounted on and between the end section 14 and the intermediate section 40 and on and between the end section 15 and the intermediate section 41, respectively. Each of the cylinders has stub shafts 52 which extend outwardly from its ends at points offset from the center of mass of the cylinder into journal blocks 53. The journal blocks 53 of each cylinder are slidably mounted in .slots 54 of the end section and the intermediate section between and on which the particular cylinder is mounted. The journal blocks are provided with suitable grooves which receive the guide flanges 55 and 56 of the particular frame section and the adjusting wedge 57 which is disposed in each slot 54 above the journal blocks and which abuts the rearwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge as defining the upper side of the slot 54. Each adjusting wedge is held in any adjusted position by means of an adjusting screw 158 threaded in a suitable bore of the frame section and provided with a stop nut 59 for locking the adjusting screw in any desired position.

Resilient means or springs 60 are secured to the shoe frame sections, as by friction fit in suitable recesses, and extend into the slots 54 to engage the journal blocks as the latter move reciprocably in the slots, and serve as a shock cushioning or absorbing means.

The inner shafts 52 of the cylinders 50 and 51 are rigid-ly connected to a bevel gear 62 of a transmission 63 which is located in the transmission housing 64 and which is in mesh with a second driving bevel gear 65 of the trans mission. The driving bevel gear 65 is rigidly mounted on the end of a gear shaft 66 which is connected to a drive shaft 67 by a suitable universal coupling 68. The drive shaft 67 includes two sections 69 and 70, which are rectangular in cross section, the section 70' being slidably telescopable in the forward portion of the section 69. The

- forward end of the shaft section 70 is provided with a suitable bracket 71 by means of which it may be connected to a power take-01f or drive shaft of the towing vehicle, preferably by means of a universal coupling. The transmission housing 64 has a rearwardly extending arm 171 whichtis connected by a link 72 to the bottom section 3 12. The link 72 is pivotally connected to the arm 171 and the bottom section by means of pins 73 and 74, respectively. The links 72 serve to help distribute the vibratory forces of the cylinders to the frame which would otherwise be transmitted solely by the shaft 52.

In use, the cylinders 50 and 51 are filled with water or other material, such as sand, through their inlets 80 which are closed by suitable caps 81. The tow bar 22 is connected to the draw bar of a towing vehicle by means of the bracket 23 and the drive shaft 67 is connected to the power take-off shaft of the towing vehicle to be rotated thereby. As the drive shaft 67 rotates, it causes the bevel gears 65 and 62 to rotate whereby the cylinders 50 and 51 are rotated.

The cylinders or masses 50' and 51, of course, tend to rotate about an axis 82 which passes through their center of gravity as well as the geometric center. Since the axis shafts 52 of the cylinders are displaced from this axis, the cylinders tend to move vertically in acircular path relative to the shoe frame. Inasmuch as the journal blocks 53 are slidable only horizontally in the slots 54 of the vertical sections, the horizontal component of such circular movement of the cylinders produces no horizon-ta l movement, either rearwardly or forwardly, of the shoe frame. The telescoping engagement of the sections 69 and 70 of the drive shaft permits such horizontal movement of the cylinders relative to and in the shoe frame 11. The vertical component of such circular movement of the cylinders as they rotate however causes reciprocable vertical movement of the shoe frame so that downward shocks or jars are imparted to the material over which the shoe frame is towed or dragged. It will be apparent, of course, that the cylinders or masses act as energy storing means during such portions of each cycle of rotation as they move horizontally in the vertical sections of the shoe frame and that such stored energy is expended during the other portions of each cycle of rotation in imparting vertical reciprocable movement to the shoe frame. The storing of energy is accomplished by acceleration of rotation of the masses about their shafts 52. As the impact of shoe frame 11 forceably strikes the earth, the shoe frame will bounce upward due to the earths natural elasticity (rebound) and this bounce lifts the frame to a higher position and thereby stores additional potential energy than would be encountered if the frame were striking a pliable or liquid material.

The hydraulic or pneumatic rams 36 are employed to adjust the vertical position of the shoe frame relative to the material being tamped.

It will also be seen that the forwardly ascending steps 13 on the lower face of the bottom section 12 compact the material in steps as the shoe frame is moved forwardly, each successive portion of the material being successively engaged by the next lower step as the shoe frame moves forwardly over the material.

It will now be seen that a new and improved tamping machine has been illustrated and described which includes a material engaging means tamping shoe frame 11 on which is mounted a mass which is rotatable about an axis displaced from its center of gravity. It will also be seen that the mass is mounted for reciprocable horizontal movement on the shoe frame so that as the mass is rotated it imparts only vertical vibrating or reciprocable movement to the shoe frame. It will also be seen that due to such movable mounting of the mass on the shoe frame, the mass stores energy during such portions of the cycle of rotation as it moves horizontally and that such stored energy is utilized to move the shoe frame vertically during other portions of its cycle of rotation. It will also be apparent that the shoe frame is provided with forwardly and upwardly ascending steps 13 on its lower material engaging face so that the material over which the tamping machine is towed is compacted in fractional steps as the tamping machine is moved thereover.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 is illustrated a modified form of the tamping machine wherein the shafts 52 of the cylinders 5t and 51 are rotatably journalled in pi'tmans or links whose lower ends are pivotally connected as at 91 to the vertical sections, such as the vertical end section-s 14a. Leaf springs 92 are mounted on opposite sides of the levers 90, by means of bars 93 connected to the upper ends of the vertical sections to engage the links 90* and act as shock absorbing or cushioning means. It will be noted that the relationship between the links 72 and 90 as shown in FIG. 4 is that they are equal in length and comprise sides of a functional parallelogram.

It will be apparent that in this modified form of the tamping machine the cylinders 50 and 51 are also free to move horizontally relative to the shoe frame since the lever arms are free to pivot or oscillate substantially horizontally forwardly and rearwardly about the points 91 but are not free to move upwardly or downwardly relative to the shoe frame. Accordingly, it will be seen that substantially all of the energy transmitted to the cylinders through the drive shaft 67 is translated into vertical vibrating movement of the shoe frame.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A tamping machine including:

a. an integrated main supporting and tamping frame, b. a mass, c. means mounting said mass on said frame, said means comprising d. a'horizontal axle shaft extending from each end of said mass at a location oifset from the center of gravity of said mass,

2. and guide means for restricting the movement of said horizontal axle shaft to horizontal reciprocal movement relative to said frame,

1. said mass being rotatable about said offset horizontal axle shaft,

g. and means for rotating said mass about said shafts,

h. draft means connected to said frame for moving said frame over material to be tamped,

i. said axle shafts being perpendicular to the direction of travel of said frame,

1'. said frame having a bottom surface spaced from said mass for engaging material to be tamped,

k. said bottom surface having a plurality of forwardly ascending steps.

2. A tamping machine including:

a. a tamping and earth engaging frame,

b. a mass,

c. means mounting said mass on said frame, said means comprising,

a horizontal axle shaft extending from each end of said mass at a location offset from the center of gravity of said mass,

e. and guide means for restricting the movement of said horizontal axle shaft to horizontal reciprocal movement relative to said frame,

1. said mass being rotatable about said offset horizontal axle shafts,

g. and means for rotating said mass about said shafts.

3. In a tamping machine, the combination including:

a. a combined tamping, rotary mass supporting and earth engaging frame,

b. a mass,

0. means for mounting said mass on said frame, said means comprising,

d. a horizontal axle shaft extending from each end of said mass at a location offset from the center of gravity of said mass,

,e. and guide means for restricting the movement of said horizontal axle shaft to horizontal reciprocal movement relative to said frame,

1. said mass being rotatable about said offset horizontal axle shaft,

g. and means for rotating said mass about said shafts,

h. and towing means pivotally connected to said frame for moving said frame over material to be tamped.

. A tamping machine comprising:

. A tamping machine comprising:

a. adrum,

b. horizontally aligned off-center axle shafts on the ends of said drum,

0. a support frame,

d. said frame being provided with guide means rotatably supporting said shafts for horizontal movement while restricting vertical movement relative to said frame when said drum is rotated,

e. said guide means comprising links pivotally connected to said axle shafts and to said frame and extending therebetween in such a manner as to permit rotation of said mass about an axis displaced from its center of gravity,

3. resilient means mounted between said links and said frame to effectively limit the movement of said links and said drum,

g. and means for rotating said drum, whereby vertical forces are conveyed directly to said frame. 6. A tamping machine comprising:

a. a drum, b. horizontally aligned off-center axle shafts on the ends of said drum, 0. a support frame, d. said frame being provided with guide means rotatably supporting said shafts for horizontal move- 10 ment while restricting vertical movement relative to said frame when said drum is rotated, e. said guide means comprising horizontally extending slots in said support frame, and journal blocks mounted on the ends of said axle shafts and slidably received in said slots,

g. and means for rotating said drum, whereby vertical forces are conveyed directly to said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent Re. 20,663 Re. 22,502 1,174,803

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Sept. 20, 

2. A TAMPING MACHINE INCLUDING: A. A TAMPING AND EARTH ENGAGING FRAME, B. A MASS, C. MEANS MOUNTING SAID MASS ON SAID FRAME, SAID MEANS COMPRISING, D. A HORIZONTAL AXLE SHAFT EXTENDING FROM EACH END OF SAID MASS AT A LOCATION OFFSET FROM THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF SAID MASS, E. AND GUIDE MEANS FOR RESTRICTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HORIZONTAL AXLE SHAFT TO HORIZONTAL RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, F. SAID MASS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT SAID OFFSET HORIZONTAL AXLE SHAFTS, G. AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID MASS ABOUT SAID SHAFTS. 